RESIDENTS and local action groups with concerns about the shake-up of health-services in Dorset will discuss the proposals with county and district councillors on Wednesday.

Dorset’s Health and Scrutiny Committee has created a special task and finish group to look at and consider concerns from residents about the NHS Dorset Clinical Commissioning Group’s Clinical Services Review.

The committee scrutinises the way health services are provided in Dorset (excluding Bournemouth and Poole) and is made up of district, borough and county councillors and is hosted by Dorset County Council.

As task and finish group meetings are not public, representatives from local groups - including Defend NHS Dorset and Healthwatch Dorset, as well as a number of concerned individuals, have been invited to join the meeting so they can have their say.

Dorset County Councillor Ray Bryan, chair of the task and finish group, said: “We understand how vital local health and care services are to our residents and acknowledge that there are a lot of concerns about parts of the Clinical Services Review. It is right that their views and opinions are heard, which is why we’re having this meeting.”

The Dorset Health Scrutiny Committee has received concerns from Dorset, Bournemouth and Poole residents. Bournemouth and Poole councils both have their own scrutiny committees for their areas.

After the meeting on Wednesday, the working group will then give an update to the Dorset Health and Scrutiny Committee in September, with a full report to follow at a later meeting.